Employment Resources & Adult Learning

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What is it? The LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator™ provides personalized, step-by-step job search assistance for all levels of job seekers. Job seekers can explore suitable occupations from over 1,000 detailed occupation profiles and find available jobs in their area from a database of over 5 million up-to-date job postings.

Why use it? With Job & Career Accelerator, users can easily create professional targeted resumes, master interviewing techniques, improve work related skills and prepare for occupation-related exams. In addition, it helps job seekers plan, tailor, and track multiple job searches at the same time while providing expert advice and tips each step of the way.

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What is it? Comprehensive, interactive online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial courses designed to help students and adult learners succeed on the academic and licensing tests. Create your own personalized and private account to track your progress. See this 2-min. Flash slideshow [7] for help with finding tests and courses.

Why use it? Study and prepare for tests and exams. Track your progress. Practice taking tests and exams.

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ChiltonLibrary provides exclusive photographs, diagnostics designed by instructors, step-by-step repair procedures, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) maintenance schedules, wiring diagrams, recalls and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for automobiles and light trucks in one easy-to-use web site. Since this library subscribes to ChiltonLibrary, you are now equipped with decades of data to maintain your vehicle. Just begin by choosing a vehicle at the left and a subject above.

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What is it? A variety of resources to help you learn practical conversation skills for languages spoken all around the world.

Why use it? Mango Languages is completely self-paced and provides a quick introduction to a language and culture through the acquisition of simple conversational skills.

Reference & Research Databases

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What is it? Full text for scholarly and academic magazines and periodicals - covering nearly every area of academic study including: computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language and linguistics, arts and literature, medical sciences, ethnic studies, and many more – from EBSCOhost.

Why use it? Conduct research for your next term paper. Discover in-depth articles on hundreds of subjects.

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What is it? OPLIN's ever-expanding directory of Ohio-specific websites and links.

Why use it? Find Ohio-focused websites by category or by county.

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What is it? An evolving, dynamic online encyclopedia from the Ohio Historical Society.

Why use it? Find information, images, timelines, maps, and documents about Ohio’s history, geography, geology, animals, and American Indian populations.

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What is it? Wide variety of reference books online – including English and bilingual dictionaries, maps and atlases, timelines, an encyclopedia, and subject references – from Oxford University Press. For more information, view this Ten Minute Tutor [14] from the State Library of Ohio.

Why use it? Search for encyclopedia articles. Identify quotations. Consult the dictionaries. Explore the subject reference books.

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What is it? Student research tool for grades 6 through 12 from EBSCOhost. See this 5-min. Flash video [16] for a basic introduction.

Why use it? Search the encyclopedia. Find magazine and newspaper articles. Learn about other countries – through reports, maps, and photos.

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What is it? Three interactive learning environments for preschoolers and children in early grades.

Why use it? "Trek's Travels" offers narrated stories, interactive games, and original videos that teach early childhood themes, including numbers, shapes, colors, opposites, and more. "Welcome to Reading" develops and strengthen phonics, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and comprehension skills. "Know It" offers a richly visual first encyclopedia.

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What is it? This comprehensive Spanish-language encyclopedia includes more than 100,000 articles, more than 8,500 images and maps, and nearly 1,000 videos, animations, sounds, and interactive media.

Why use it? It is designed for native Spanish speakers, bilingual students, and ESL/ELL program participants.

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What is it? Resources include encyclopedic content, e-books, multimedia, a vast collection of primary source documents, and a wealth of research tools that allow students to customize and save their work. For more information, view this Ten Minute Tutor [20] from the State Library of Ohio.

Why use it? Tailored for the needs and skills of older students, World Book Advanced integrates primary and secondary source databases in a single search.

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What is it? This is part of World Book Online Reference Center that is a Spanish-Language encyclopedia called Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos. It contains 2,200 articles and more than 600 illustrations.

Why use it? The Spanish Student Discovery Encyclopedia is organized so that the student can find information quickly and easily.

Magazine & Newspaper Databases

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What is it? Complete range of citation and full-text reference content available from the EBSCO publishing company. Individual database services are also listed separately. This 3-min. Flash video [23] provides instructions for basic searching.

Why use it? Select a single database for searching. Search multiple EBSCOhost resources at once. See what’s available from EBSCO.

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What is it? Full text for a wide variety of periodicals covering general reference, business, health, education, general science, multicultural issues and much more. Also contains full text for reference books, biographies, and primary source documents, and an image collection photos, map, and flags – updated daily from EBSCOhost. For more information, view this Basic Search Tutorial [25] or this Advanced Search Tutorial [26] from the State Library of Ohio.

Why use it? Read articles from popular magazines. Find out about another country or culture. Search for solutions to that question you can’t quite answer.

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What is it? Full electronic edition, excluding paid advertising, of the Cincinnati Post (04/01/1990-12/31/2007), the Columbus Dispatch (7/16/1985-current), the Dayton Daily News (1/1/1990-current), the Cleveland Plain Dealer (6/1/1991-current), and the Toledo Blade (1/1/1996-current). Searchable individually or in groups.

Why use it? Search for articles from newspapers around the state. Print or e-mail articles for future use. Read in-depth reports on current events.

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What is it? Cover-to-cover full text for 20 national (U.S.) & international newspapers and selected full text for more than 230 regional (U.S.) newspapers, plus TV and radio news transcripts – updated daily.

Why use it? Read articles from newspaper around the country. Access industry-specific newspapers. Search TV and radio news transcripts.

Students & Homework

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What is it? Research tool for middle school and elementary age students from EBSCOhost. See this 3-min. video [30] for a basic introduction.

Why use it? Search the encyclopedia. Look up words in the dictionary. Explore and search by topic.

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What is it? A variety of resources to help you learn practical conversation skills for languages spoken all around the world.

Why use it? Mango Languages is completely self-paced and provides a quick introduction to a language and culture through the acquisition of simple conversational skills.

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What is it? Research tool for elementary age students from EBSCOhost. See this 4-min. Flash video [32] for a basic introduction.

Why use it? Search the encyclopedia. Learn about animals. Look up words in the dictionary.

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What is it? Student research tool for grades 6 through 12 from EBSCOhost. See this 5-min. Flash video [16] for a basic introduction.

Why use it? Search the encyclopedia. Find magazine and newspaper articles. Learn about other countries – through reports, maps, and photos.

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What is it? Thousands of colorful illustrations, diagrams, and maps enrich thousands of articles selected for appeal and curricular standards, with teacher guides, provide instuctions and stimulating ways to use content in the classroom setting or for homework.

Why use it? World Book Kids is designed especially for younger users, English-language learners, and reluctant readers. The site offers simple navigation, easy-to-read content, bright colors, and a graphical design.

Homework Help Sites

General Reference & Homework Help Sites:

B J Pinchbeck's Homework Helper [34]: A great resource provided by d [35]iscovery.com [35] and the Discovery Channel.

The Homework Spot [36]: This site links you to hundreds of other homework help sites; organized by grade level and subject area.

www.infoplease.com [37]: Homework Center, Reference works (almanac, atlas, dictionary and encyclopedia), Today in History, and Facts Behind the News, are all sections of this in depth website. Great trivia, and links to tips on researching, studying and writing.

www.ipl.org [38]: Web links are sorted in to categories and sub categories to help you find what you are looking for quickly, and it's organized so you can have fun exploring new things, too!

www.exploratorium.edu [39]: A multimedia-rich on line project by the museum of the same name in San Francisco, this is a truly fun site for learning science. Try the Science of Baseball, or the Learning Studio.

www.funbrain.com [40]: Activities and learning games for ages 6 and under up to those 17 and older. Spend some time competing with your parents in a parent vs. kid challenge!

History & Geography Sites:

www.ohiohistorycentral.org [41]: The Ohio Historical Society's online encyclopedia of Ohio history. This continually evolving site features over 2,000 entries related to Ohio's natural history, prehistory, and history. It also contains hundreds of images and multimedia files.

www.historyplace.com [42]: A wonderful history site, including photos, speeches, History in the USA, This month in history, and Main Exhibits. They also have a Personal Histories feature, that contains a real life history story. Not good for researching, as the site does not have it's own search engine.

www.altapedia.com [43]: All types of maps and brief text on every country.

Math & Science Sites:

www.chem4kids.com [44]: An easy to understand chemistry site.

www.mathleague.com [45]: Quick answers to math problems for students grades 4 - 8, including these categories: Fraction, Geometry, Integers, and Introduction to Algebra. Although this site's main interest is math contests for kids grades 4 - 12, it also has practice tests, web links, tutorial files and home schooling resources.

www.nasa.gov [46]: National Aeronautics-Space Association's website (NASA). Space exploration updates as well as planet and other space related information.

www.usgs.gov [47]: U.S. Geological Survey web site. Teaches everything from glacier movement, landslides and even mapping.

www.nws.noaa.gov [48]: Web site of the National Weather Service, the government agency in charge of helping people prepare for all types of weather occurrences.

Books, Arts & Literature Databases

See our Reading Recommendations page for more sites about books [49]

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New Books & Authors site: Reading Recommendations, create & save lists, read reviews, and more.

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What is it? Everything you want to know about books & authors. For more information, view this Ten Minute Tutor [52] from the State Library of Ohio.

Why use it? It is THE place to find read-alikes, author biographies, plot summaries, specific settings, specific genres, book publishing, and purchasing, series information, book reviews, and more!

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What is it? Electronic books of American and English literature - poetry, drama, fiction, and the Bible - originally published in print – produced by ProQuest / Chadwyck-Healey.

Why use it? Explore American poetry from 1600 to the present. Compare different editions of Shakespeare’s work. Read early American fiction. Explore English drama.

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What is it? Digital images of a wide variety of art objects including paintings, sculpture, textiles, and decorative art – provided by AMICO and several art institutes within Ohio. For more information, see this INFOhio video overview [55].

Why use it? Search for a work of art. Investigate an artist. Find art images to use in school projects.

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What is it? Wide variety of reference books online – including English and bilingual dictionaries, maps and atlases, timelines, an encyclopedia, and subject references – from Oxford University Press. For more information, view this Ten Minute Tutor [14] from the State Library of Ohio.

Why use it? Search for encyclopedia articles. Identify quotations. Consult the dictionaries. Explore the subject reference books.

Business & Government Databases

NEW -- Get Legal Forms for Ohio: This new database provides many common and useful Legal forms that you can fill out and print.

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What is it? Full text business articles, research, and news updated daily from EBSCOhost.

Why use it? Read articles from popular and scholarly business periodicals. Research industries. Evaluate companies and their markets.

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What is it? OPLIN's ever-expanding directory of Ohio-specific websites and links.

Why use it? Find Ohio-focused websites by category or by county.

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What is it? The official government website of the State of Ohio.

Why use it? Find government services and information for residents, businesses, visitors, and state employees. Reach the website of any Ohio government agency.

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What is it? Full text for articles from over 75 business journals, newspapers, and newswires, covering all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States, from EBSCOhost.

Why use it? Research regional business conditions around the country.

History & Biography Databases

See our Local History & Genealogy Page for more History Databases [60]

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What is it? Biographies, obituaries, and photographs of thousands of individuals – both living and deceased. Biographies Plus Illustrated contains the full text of the articles from more than 100 volumes of biographical reference books published by H. W. Wilson, plus thousands of profiles licensed from other respected publishers; updated monthly. For more information, see this INFOhio video overview [55], or this 7-min. YouTube video [62].

Why use it? Find multiple sketches of the subject's life and accomplishments. Search by time period, profession, place of origin, and birth and death dates. View digital images for many of the subjects.

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What is it? OPLIN's ever-expanding directory of Ohio-specific websites and links.

Why use it? Find Ohio-focused websites by category or by county.

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What is it? Database containing death certificates of persons that died in Ohio from 1913-1937.

Why use it? Use the index information to help in obtaining a copy of particular death certificates.

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What is it? An evolving, dynamic online encyclopedia from the Ohio Historical Society.

Why use it? Find information, images, timelines, maps, and documents about Ohio’s history, geography, geology, animals, and American Indian populations.

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What is it? Project to bring together digital versions of historical collections from more than 330 archives, historical societies, libraries, and museums.

Why use it? Search or browse more than 26,000 primary sources dating from prehistory to the present. Take the Ohio Memory Challenge. Read essays about Ohio topics. Create your own scrapbook.

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What is it? Large scale street plans – including building outlines, property boundaries, and building use - produced by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Company from 1867 to 1970

Why use it? Locate buildings and neighborhoods. See a neighborhood "as it was". Study the growth of towns and cities. Identify the impact of new developments.

Science & Health Databases

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What is it? MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends with information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues.

Why use it? Use MedlinePlus to learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.

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What is it? Non-profit consumer health web site providing high quality information created and evaluated by medical and health professional faculty from several Ohio universities.

Why use it? Search health issues by topic. Link to other quality health resources available on the Internet.

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What is it? Online database of publications from Ohio State University Extension Office; the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center; and the Agricultural Technical Institute.

Why use it? Find hundreds of factsheets, bulletins, and other educational materials covering a wide array of subjects - such as agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community development, 4-H, and youth.

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What is it? The award-winning Science Online offers a comprehensive, curriculum-oriented overview of a broad range of scientific disciplines in a variety of useful formats. An ideal science solution for schools, libraries and homework assignments. For more information, see this INFOhio video overview [55].

Why use it? Tabbed search results and Boolean search capabilities help users easily find their desired results. High-quality print, e-mail, reduce and enlarge text, and save to folder capabilities; full database citations; a help page; and persistent record links are also available.